A Multi-Media Blog Produced By A New York Taxi Driver. News, Views, Reviews, Interviews, Jokes-

Friday, June 7, 2013

Mayor Bloomberg says he will "fucking destroy" the taxi industry.

The New York Post was first to break the story. Mike Bloomberg is peeved because the organized taxi owners put a dent in his cockamamie Taxi of Tomorrow plan by taking his highness to court and beating his ass in front of a judge.

Now, I have to give full disclosure here. I drive taxis (one at a time) that I lease by the shift from a medallion taxi fleet. I am 67 years old and have family responsibilities that I meet in large part by earning a modest income doing that work. I work for people like Evgeny Friedman, the man who reported this threat back on May 22. The Mayor has not outright denied making the threat. There are witnesses to it and probably a security camera recording of it as well.

Mr. Friedman is taking Bloomberg to court about this threat which makes it even more probable that his report is true. No doubt a judge can see to it that whatever recordings of the incident are aired and frankly I cannot wait.

Like all taxi drivers I have my complaints and grievances with the big taxi medallion owners and I did not rush to get into this thing because in a way, well, it's not Evgeny Friedman's wealth or well being that are my top concerns, far from it. But this is serious to me on a number of levels. First of all I understand that Bloomberg has trouble sorting out the difference between a taxi driver like myself and a medallion mogul like Mr. Friedman. A man of such profound ignorance on such an a-b-c "101" matter cannot be allowed to dictate how an important industry, one that employs directly and indirectly tens of thousands of hard working people, one that is essential to the city's economy. At the outset of the imposition of credit card readers and GPS the organization that aspires to be a taxi drivers union, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, made their concerns which I shared vocally and publicly clear. Bloomberg shrugged this off, claiming that he had met with a group of taxi drivers about the matter (yeah, when donkeys fly) and had taken their concerns into consideration. Actually Bloomberg met with people like Friedman, and these guys (God love them all) did not voice the concerns that people like me had about the new technology (wonders never cease).

I would strongly suggest to the mayor that he get this distinction clear in his mind, because, well, guys like Mr. Friedman tend not to be meek, subservient, humble or chicken. These men are mainly two fisted mother - you- know - whats who once were penniless taxi drivers who went out onto the streets of a foreign land and not only made a living, but ultimately built fortunes. Now they are multi millionaires. Unlike the typical taxi driver, they are not inclined to take threats and other such bullshit lightly. And so, Mr. Bloomberg, when you were talking to Mr. Friedman you made an error if you thought you could deal with him like you would with a taxi driver who didn't blow a red light for you.

So anyhow I do not appreciate that an ignorant man who has a violent temper and is not accustomed to being told he's wrong about anything can credibly threaten and in public at that, not only Mr. Friedman, but by extension thousands of taxi drivers, clerical workers, accountants, bookkeepers, dispatchers, mechanics and so forth. There is something profoundly wrong with this picture.

Money out of politics, vote Eugene Weixel, write in candidate. He who has no money at all. Elect him Mayor of New York in 2013.